It’s that time of year where everywhere starts hitting out with their ‘review of the year’ articles. I thought I’d ignore it as I do every other year, but whilst thinking about things I realised this has been a pretty fascinating year. Players and management have changed beyond recognition. Some have became heroes whilst others left before anyone had time to remember their name. Results have been poor, but some huge and famous victories which will be remembered for years to come have also been recorded. I’ve selected, arguably without a great deal of competition, what I believe to be the ten most important results recorded by the Sons in 2015. And it all starts in January at The Falkirk Stadium.
Date: 31/01/2015 Falkirk 3-3 Dumbarton Sons Scorers: Taggart (19), Petrie (63), Campbell (71) An early contender for the worst result and performance of 2015 had arrived the week previous to Dumbarton’s trip to face playoff chasing (and unbeaten in the new year) Falkirk. The 5-1 home defeat at the hands of bottom club Livingston was a game which most fans would rather erase from their memory. It summed up how the year had started for the club, Ian Murray’s insistence of playing strikers at wing-back and a threadbare squad meant that games were becoming tough viewing. Leading goalscorer - and star player - Chris Kane had returned to St Johnstone whilst an injury to Chris Turner did little for positivity in Sons ranks. On arrival at the Falkirk Stadium the visiting fans were dealt a further blow with the news that Garry Fleming wasn’t well enough to play. With Sons completely pointless in the new year any sort of result looked like an outside bet. A flicker of positivity however came in the shape in which Dumbarton lined up. After months of disjointed and unorganised 3-5-2 formations Ian Murray relented to a conventional 4-4-2 with Mitch Megginson and Archie Campbell leading the line. The fact that they had managed a megre return of 4 goals all season combined was thought to be mainly down to the new style of football that Murray adopted. Hopes weren’t high, but it was at least positive to see Murray relinquish his stubborn attitude towards a formation that clearly didn’t work. New signing from Dundee United, Darren Petrie, took Turner’s place in the middle of the park whilst Mark Gilhaney replaced David Van Zanten in the only other change from the previous week’s lineup. For the second week running the bench only featured four players, and only one outfield player with first team experience - Lee Mair. Donald McCallum, Keir Whitefield and sub’ ‘keeper Jamie Ewings filled the other seats in the sparsely populated dugout. Danny Rogers Scott Taggart Andy Graham Stuart Findlay Scott Linton Mark Gilhaney Darren Petrie Scott Agnew Dylan Easton Mitch Megginson Archie Campbell Incredibly, despite being ravaged by injury and low on confidence Sons took the lead after only nineteen minutes. Mitch Megginson pulled the ball across goal and Scott Taggart slammed home his first for the club since joining from Morton in June. It was also his first appearance in his preferred right-back berth which he would cement as his own as the year progressed. The lead was short lived however as a mere two minutes later Craig Sibbald - who so often seems to score against Dumbarton - knocked in the Bairns equaliser. Conceding so shortly after taking the lead would do little to improve the confidence within the team. Then on thirty-five minutes Dumbarton’s 2015 was summed up. Neat interplay set up Luke Leahy for a side footed effort from close range. The shot was tame enough, but took a massive deflection off Stuart Findlay and deceived Danny Rogers in the home goal. If a Bairns win was likely before kick-off few would even consider checking the odds on Dumbarton managing a result now. The half-time whistle blew and Sons, although behind, were at least giving a decent account of themselves against decent opposition. It just looked like the elusive wait for a point in 2015 would roll over to another month. Whatever Ian Murray said at half-time however changed everything. Sons started the second half like the team chasing the playoffs. On loan St Johnstone winger Dylan Easton showed wonderful quick feet on numerous occasions creating real issues in the Bairns defence. He created a gap just big enough for Mitch Megginson to get a shot away, Jamie MacDonald saved, but debutant loanee Petrie was on hand to send the ball over the line right in front of the small - and freezing - band of away supporters. Confidence looked to be growing, and there was real hope that Sons could manage to get a long overdue three points in seemingly the most impossible of circumstances. That hope became belief as Megginson set up Archie Campbell to notch his first goal since September - and only second for the club - for close range following an Agnew corner. The visitors could hardly believe the transformation before their eyes. Alas Dumbarton’s soft underbelly was again exposed as players began to tire. Ten minutes from time substitute David Smith smartly fired home an equaliser for the Bairns to ensure a thrilling finale to the match. By this stage Falkirk had made two subs and Sons had kept the status quo and they were all over Danny Rogers goal. As had been the case so often in the season though the on-loan Aberdeen ‘keeper was in top form to prevent the Bairns from grabbing a late winner. As the clock hit ninety Dumbarton made their first change, free scoring youth team attacker Donald McCallum came on for goalscorer Archie Campbell. The diminutive striker had worked tremendously hard but looked dead on his feet. McCallum would bring more pace and an equally as impressive work ethic to scare the defenders for the final moments of the game. The second sub saw the arrival of Lee Mair for Scott Linton who looked to have picked up a knock. It was to be Mair’s final appearance for the club prior to a dispute over his contract which saw him released at the end of the season. After an agonisingly long three minutes and forty-seven seconds of injury time the final whistle finally arrived. Dumbarton had finally secured a point in the new year, and it felt almost like all three. It would also be the last time the club would score more than two goals under Ian Murray’s reign. Date: 7/3/2015 Dumbarton 1-0 Alloa Athletic Sons scorer: Fleming (42) (pen) Incredibly it took Dumbarton until the first week in March to finally record their first win of 2015. It wasn’t pretty either as only Garry Fleming’s first half penalty - and some heroics from Danny Rogers - proved the difference between the two teams at the Rock. The squad now boasted a full roster of substitutes, although the quality of the team was certainly dubious: Danny Rogers Scott Taggart Andy Graham Stuart Findlay Scott Linton Mark Gilhaney Chris Turner Scott Agnew Dylan Easton Garry Fleming Chris Duggan Loan striker, Chris Duggan, who was still searching for his elusive first goal for the club - it would never arrive - created Sons first real chance. He burst clear and looked to be shoved over by former Dumbarton captain Ben Gordon. Incredibly referee, Andrew Dallas, ignored the furious flagging of his linesman and allowed play to continue when an early red card for Gordon looked imminent. Fellow loan player Dylan Easton looked lively down the left, but as was so often the case his final ball let him down after some great skill. Duggan was continuing to cause the Alloa defence problems, the big striker - nicknamed Hacksaw after wrestler namesake Jim - looked to be clean through only for the ball to skid off the surface and be cleared by Craig McDowell in the Wasps goal. The best chance of the opening half hour fell to Alloa however, and quite how Liam Buchanan missed only he will know. The experienced and prolific striker rounded Danny Rogers and looked to stroke the ball home from just outside the six yard box with the goal gaping. He failed to hit the target, a failure that would prove crucial come ninety minutes. Future Dumbarton player Mark Docherty was next to miss a great chance for the visitors, Rogers spilled an Issac Layne shot out to Docherty. But with the goal gaping he failed to make contact with the ball and the danger was cleared. Make no question about it, Sons were very much riding their luck. The breakthrough finally came just before half-time, and fortunately it came from a player in white and gold. Dylan Easton showed wonderful skill to beat two men before being tripped in the area by another future Dumbarton player - Kevin Cawley who would sign for the club three months later. Garry Fleming stepped up and applied the usual outcome from the spot. Somehow Sons were in the lead. The half-time whistle followed soon after. Sons hadn’t been convincing anyone once again, but they were in the lead and that was all that mattered. The second half continued in a similar vein to the first, with Alloa dominating but failing to take any of the chances that came their way. Danny Rogers was enjoying a tremendous performances between the sticks, and even when he was beaten Stuart Findlay came to the rescue to clear a goalbound shot from the lively Layne. Then, in injury time, came the moment that the game will be remembered for. Liam Buchanan did well to turn Scott Taggart and clip a perfect ball into the area for Greg Rutherford. The equaliser had finally arrived for Alloa with almost the last kick of the ball...except somehow it hadn’t. Rogers produced a save worthy of winning any game, tipping the shot from 3 yards onto the crossbar and allowing Stuart Findlay to clear the danger. It was a save so good I’ve immortalised it in gif form. It was world class. Incredibly it wasn’t the end to the drama however. The bustling Duggan - having his best game in a Dumbarton shirt - turned Daryll Meggatt on the halfway line before showing great strength to play in Mitch Megginson. The former Alloa loanee rounded McDowall but saw his shot agonisingly cleared away on the line by Meggatt. It proved irrelevant. Alloa had lost, and Dumbarton had finally recorded their first victory since December the 27th (a 3-1 triumph over Cowdenbeath). Post match Wasps gaffer Barry Smith, surely cursing his team’s ridiculous amounts of bad luck in front of goal resigned. For the second time in a row an Alloa manager had resigned following a defeat to Dumbarton. It was far from a classic encounter, and Sons still weren’t playing the fast paced free-scoring football they had been in the previous season and a half under Ian Murray. At that stage of the season, in those conditions, and against a big rival 3 point were all that mattered. Sons - Danny Rogers to be completely fair - had somehow won them. The winning feeling had been a long time coming, but hopes of it continuing weren’t exactly high heading to Tynecastle in order to face Champions elect Hearts the following week. Date: 21/03/2015 Livingston 1-2 Dumbarton Sons scorers: Agnew (80), Fleming (88) Sons couldn’t pull off a memorable result at Tynecastle, despite a solid first-half showing in which they kept the score at 0-0. Osman Sow and Danny Wilson scored twice after the restart to kill the game before substitute Billy King added a bit of gloss to the scoreline with two late strikes. Those types of games however were always going to be unimportant when compared with the matches against teams around them for Sons, who were within touching distance of securing survival at the earliest date yet. Almondvale always seems to be a stadium that brings out the best in Dumbarton teams. From Bryan Prunty’s spectacular overhead kick in a hard fought and tense game to impressive, and comfortable away victories, it’s always a venue which has been kind to the club. In fact (as of 22nd December 2015) Dumbarton have only lost once in their last seven visits to West Lothian. So hopes were cautiously high that a result could be achieved against a side who looked destined for the drop. The team sheet showed two changes from the Hearts match as wingers Mark Gilhaney and Mitch Megginson replaced Chris Duggan and Scott Linton. As became so often the case under his stewardship a formation was hard to deceiver from lineup. However a 4-5-1 with Fleming up top on his own looked like the most probable shape that Sons would adopt. Danny Rogers Scott Taggart Andy Graham Stuart Findlay Mark Wilson Mark Gilhaney Chris Turner Darren Petrie Scott Agnew Mitch Megginson Garry Fleming The confusion over the formation experienced by the fans pre-match appeared to be affecting the players as well. The game got underway with Megginson and Gilhaney appearing to play as defensive wingers - or even wing-backs - in a totally mismatched, jumbled and overly defensive formation. It came as no surprise when Livi’ took an early lead having dominated the opening stages of that match. Keaghan Jacobs swung in a free-kick from just outside the area for the totally unmarked Craig Sives to flick home with his head. Quite why the centre-back was allowed to be totally unmarked inside the penalty area only the Sons defenders will know. It already looked like another long afternoon was ahead for the visiting fans. Murray persevered with the formation, remarkably considering the sheer volume of players strung across the pitch a lack of width in the team was still evident. Livingston - so often the experts in holding a lead with niggly fouls and time wasting - were comfortable and content that a single goal advantage would be enough. The Lions were strong, and at times overly, aggressive in the tackle, conceding a multitude of free-kicks in dangerous areas. The victim of one such tackle, Darren Petrie hobbled off on 25 minutes for Dylan Easton. Despite this Dumbarton failed to test Darren Jamieson in the home goal. The second half considered in the same vein as the first until Murray finally relented on the hour mark. Striker Chris Duggan replaced right-full-back Scott Taggart to partner Garry Fleming upfront and immediately things improved. Duggan’s physical presence began to work the home defenders slightly harder, Michael McKenna was lucky not to see red for a late challenge from behind on the on-loan Partick Thistle frontman. Despite his impact Duggan was not a goalscorer. In his previous four appearances for the club he’d barely managed a shot on target, the elusive goal was still just that. Ian Murray played his final card with the introduction of the very pacey Archie Campbell - like Duggan a player with good physical attributes but who regularly failed to deliver in front of goal. It would take something special to get Dumbarton a crucial goal. Scott Agnew battled hard to win the ball back from Kyle Jacobs 25 yards from goal. The Sons playmaker was then hauled to the ground by Jacobs who received a booking for his troubles. I said it would take something special, and Agnew duly delivered. An eight man wall lined up preventing ‘Aggy’ from surely even seeing the goal. It failed. He curled a fast, low effort around the wall and perfectly into the bottom left hand corner. Incredibly it was his first goal direct from a free-kick since April 2013 against Hamilton. But it was worth waiting for and had arrived at absolutely the right time. With ten minutes to go Livingston were finally going to have to start attacking again. It was all set up for an exciting finale. Except they didn’t, it was Dumbarton who did all the attacking for the last period of the game. The home-side appeared shell shocked by the concession of a late goal that they lost all the defensive organisation that had kept Sons at bay for the previous seventy-nine minutes. Goal hero Agnew swung in a corner with two minutes to play which Myles Hippolyte cleared only as far as Garry Fleming. Sons top scorer hit it first time with his right foot from the edge of the box and almost uprooted the goal. He couldn’t have caught it any sweeter. Despite only turning up for ten minutes, Sons had the lead as the game reached it’s final seconds. The final moments were comfortably seen out and a massive cheer from the travelling support was drowned out by the ‘boos’ from the home stand. It looked as if the Lions were destined for the drop, whilst Dumbarton had almost confirmed their status as a Championship club for a fourth consecutive season. The players applauded the away support as chants of “four-four-two, four-four-two, four-four-two” rang out. It was an excellent victory, and there are few feelings as good in football as a late winning goal. It hadn’t been a convincing performance, but for the second time in three weeks the desired result had been achieved, and that was all that mattered. The defeat acted as a catalyst for Livingston who would go on to lose only one of their final eight games of the season. They completed a seemingly impossible great escape and lifted the Ramsdens Cup along the way with a 4-0 victory over Alloa Athletic. Date: 28/03/2015 Dumbarton 1-0 Falkirk Sons scorer: Campbell (81) With two wins over the clubs at the wrong end of the league sandwiching a comprehensive defeat to the runaway league leaders a match against mid-table Falkirk at the Rock would provide a decent test for the seemingly resurgent Sons. Ian Murray, perhaps more through necessity than anything else, only made one change from the previous weeks team. Striker Archie Campbell, who had looked lively as a substitute against Livingston, replaced the injured Darren Petrie. This allowed Dumbarton to switch back to a more conventional 4-4-2, with Campbell partnering the previous weeks’ goal hero, Garry Fleming. Danny Rogers Scott Taggart Andy Graham Stuart Findlay Mark Wilson Mark Gilhaney Chris Turner Scott Agnew Mitch Megginson Archie Campbell Garry Fleming The game started in sunny, but blustery conditions with the Bairns attempting to make the most of the wind advantage that they had. Will Vaulks had their first real effort, a powerful low drive from all of 30 yards which future Bairns number one Danny Rogers pushed past the post. Dumbarton’s first real chance came for Mark Wilson. The experienced defender received the ball in acres of space down the left side. Space opened up for a cross and with Fleming, Campbell, Agnew and even Chris Turner to aim for, he hit the ball harmlessly into the side netting. A bizarre passage of play followed, Rogers hit an overhit back pass low which looked to have gone straight to the feet of Blair Alston. Chris Turner moved him out the way and the ball landed at the feet of Mitch Megginson, he swiveled and sent Archie Campbell on his way with an excellent ball. Unfortunately, once again, the final ball in was dealt with easily by the Falkirk defence. That was the end of the action in a first half which the Bairns had, had more possession but had failed to test Rogers overly strenuously. Sons could go into the break feeling confident that they had the wind in their favour for the second forty-five. The second half was dominated by the goalkeepers, both Danny Rogers and Jamie MacDonald produced some excellent stops in the difficult conditions to keep the scores level. The game hadn’t been an enjoyable one to watch, and little quality was on show from either team with the exception of the two number one’s and an on-loan Celtic centre-half. Whilst others panicked with the ball at their feet, or lost concentration or struggled to judge the flight of the ball in the conditions Stuart Findlay stuck out as being on a different level. Sons’ on-loan Celt’ had impressed on numerous other occasions, but on this occasion he really showed what a player he is and could go on to be. At the age of only nineteen he showed maturity, confidence and even arrogance with the ball at his feet and was prepared to take chances that other players would not have considered. It can surely only be a matter of time before he cements his place in his parent club’s first-team. It was a player who had connections to the other half of the Old Firm who scored the winning goal however, and it was a goal the would not have looked out of place on a much bigger stage as well. Garry Fleming was tackled by the Bairns Taylor Morgan just beyond the centre-circle. The ball fell to Archie Campbell, who had still only managed a meagre two goals all season for the club he joined in the summer, he drove past David McCracken and from all of twenty-five yards he produced a stunning effort which flew beyond MacDonald. The wind may have played it’s part in deceiving MacDonald, or speeding up the ball, but that would be taking away from the sheer quality of the finish from Campbell. With no goals since the last match against Falkirk in January the relief on the hard-working strikers face was evident. The accompanying photograph from Donald Fullarton of Campbell cutting inside and Bairns manager Peter Houston, bright red, with his hands clamped on his head and a grimace on his face will no doubt be smiled at for years to come. The goal would prove to be Archie’s last for the club, in fact at the time of writing (with him now playing for Clyde in League Two) it remains the last competitive goal he scored. There was still time for one more bit of drama in injury time. Mark Kerr chipped a perfect ball into the area for John Baird, master goalscorer at this level, fortunately for Sons he got his angles all wrong and tamely nodded the ball straight at Rogers. It would prove to be the last chance of the game for the playoff chasers, and the result effectively secured Dumbarton’s place in the Championship for another season. What wasn’t realised at the time was just how momentous a result that it would turn out to be. Despite being in charge for a further six games it was Ian Murray’s last win as Sons’ manager, the free-scoring football of the previous season had been replaced by far less easy on the eye games. But the objective set at the beginning of the season had been achieved, and Murray’s managerial stock continued to rise. Date: 2/5/2015 Dumbarton 2-2 Raith Rovers Sons’ scorers: Kirkpatrick (21), Agnew (78) If the Falkirk result represented the end of the season in terms of where Sons could expect to end the year then it very much showed in the results which followed. Three-nil defeat at fellow part-time outfits Alloa and Cowdenbeath were combined with losses to promotion chasing Rangers, Queen of the South and Hibernian. All excitement had left the season, and all eyes were on the 2015/16 campaign as fellow mid-tablers - and managerless - Raith Rovers visited the Rock on the first Saturday in May. Three changes were made to the team which had lost narrowly against Queen of the South at Palmerston the previous week; Andy Graham made a welcome return from suspension and replaced the disappointing Mark Wilson who had failed to live up to his reputation since joining from Dundee United in February. The fit-again Garry Fleming and winger Mark Gilhaney also came into the Sons eleven in the place of Mitch Megginson and Darren Petrie. Danny Rogers Scott Taggart Andy Graham Stuart Findlay Scott Linton Mark Gilhaney Chris Turner Scott Agnew Jordan Kirkpatrick Garry Fleming Archie Campbell The opening period of the game was exactly as end of season ‘nothingy’ games often are, with little urgency or genuine exertion on display. Scott Linton’s long-throw created a chance for Archie Campbell which he snatched at, whilst Danny Rogers made a comfortable save from Mark Stewart at the other end. On twenty-one minutes the game burst into life. Garry Fleming picked up possession on the right wing and cut inside, the club's top scorer curled a tremendous effort around David McGurn in the visiting goal that hit off the post. The Raith defence stood back and admired it allowing Jordan Kirkpatrick to fire home the rebound for his third goal of the season. The goal acted as a catalyst for the game, as things really got started. Straight from kick-off Raith’s Lewis Vaughan collided with Sons’ Andy Graham inside the penalty area, referee Mat Northcroft however waved away appeals and ignored the furious disagreement from the ‘vers frontman. Mark Stewart, as is still so often the case, was causing the Dumbarton defence plenty of problems with his impressive pace and clever runs, Stuart Findlay had to be alert on a number of occasions to prevent him getting a clear sight of goal. Rogers also played his part with an excellent stop one-on-one with the impressive Lewis Vaughan. Raith thought they had equalised just before half time. Rogers made an awkward save from Ross Callachan’s effort from range and Vaughan tucked the ball home. Fortunately from a Dumbarton point of view his celebrations were cut short by the flag on the far side linesman, and so Sons had the lead heading into halftime for the first time since the Alloa game in March. The chances of them holding on to it however looked slim. Indeed it took only eight minutes of the second half for the visitors to equalise. Vaughan and Stewart - who were the two most impressive players on the pitch - combined with the latter netting his seemingly obligatory goal against the Sons. Raith were now level and had a strong wind advantage in their favour, something that Vale of Leven born Ryan Conroy was keen to exploit, his left footed drive from distance was well tipped over by Rogers. Seven minutes after the equaliser Raith took the lead, and it involved a moment of sheer brilliance by Raith academy graduate Vaughan. Danny Rogers’ clearance struggled to reach the halfway line in the strong wind and landed on Vaughan’s chest. From all of 40 yards he produced a stunning lob over the ‘keeper and into the net. It was rare to see Rogers making a mistake, however very few players would be able to pull off the skill in the way Vaughan did. Raith had the lead, and a goal worthy of winning any game had given them it. Mitch Megginson replaced Chris Turner in what would be both players last appearance for the club they had represented so well, but had little impact. Eight minutes after that Ian Murray made the substitution that all the fans had been hoping for. Young attacker Donald McCallum had been scoring for fun for the Sons’ youth teams, and had scored the previous week against Queen of the South despite only being on the pitch for fourteen minutes. If nothing else the game would provide experience for the Campbelltown born player ahead of the next season where it was hoped he would make his breakthrough. He replaced first goalscorer Jordan Kirkpatrick. His impact was immediate. He battled hard down the right-wing and held off the attentions of Craig Barr before swinging an excellent ball into the area which just missed Fleming. Fortunately visiting defender Rory McKeown was on hand to inexplicably head the ball straight on to the lesser spotted right boot of Scott Agnew. His first time effort deceived McGurn and curled into the net. Incredibly it meant that four of Agnew’s five goals over the course of the season had came against the Starks Park outfit. The question now was could Sons end the season with a win? McCallum continued to see his reputation rise, he looked to have been fouled off the ball as Archie Campbell sprinted towards the penalty area. Once again Northcroft was unmoved. The final substitution of the Ian Murray era at Dumbarton saw another youngster enter the pitch - winger Ryan Clark who replaced Mark Gilhaney. It was the last of Gilhaney’s one-hundred and seventy-eight appearances for the club since joining in October 2010. Clark, a quick and direct old-fashioned winger, was immediately fouled by Martin Scott who picked up a booking giving further cause for optimism ahead of the new season. The resulting free-kick game to nothing. Raith almost stole a last-gasp winner, but Callachan’s effort from range somehow dropped just wide of the target. The final whistle brought with it not only the end of the season, but the end of Ian Murray’s time with the club. After one-hundred and eight matches, forty-one wins, fifteen draws and fifty-two defeats, a great escape, a Scottish Cup quarter-final, some incredible results and the establishment of the club as a member of the Scottish Championship Murray’s time was up. He left two weeks later to take over at newly-relegated St Mirren. The final whistle also brought the curtain down on quite a few players time with the club. Loan goalkeeper Danny Rogers, who had excelled in the number one jersey, returned to parent club Aberdeen along with the Sonstrust Young Player of the Year award. Stuart Findlay also returned to Celtic after making a big impression during his six month spell with the club both on and off the park. Both would head out on loan for the 2015/16 season as well, Rogers to Falkirk and Findlay to Premiership Kilmarnock. Left-back Scott Linton, who had been one of the first names on the teamsheet for the previous two seasons, joined hard-working Archie Campbell in moving to League Two Clyde. Chris Turner joined Premiership Hamilton, whilst the player who replaced him during the game, Mitch Megginson, joined Raith Rovers along with Dundee United loan player Darren Petrie. Mark Gilhaney, who had played a major role in saving the club from relegation to League Two in his first season, left the club after finding out he was not in new manager Stevie Aitken’s plans. He joined League One Stenhousemuir. One player left who had made an even bigger impression during his four years at the club however, Scott Agnew. As popular a figure on the pitch as he was with Sons’ fans off it ‘Aggy’ had played a massive role in getting the club to where they were. The Rock has rarely seen such a universally well liked player. Nobody could grudge him a crack at full-time football with Murray’s St Mirren. The Ian Murray era had well and truly ended, and Stevie Aitken had a massive rebuilding job to do over the summer, only time will tell if he completed it successfully. 25/07/2015 Greenock Morton 2-3 Dumbarton Sons Scorers: Gallagher(6,30), Fleming (65) The Aitken era started at the end of July with a short trip over the water to face newly promoted Morton in the first round of the Petrofact Training Cup - a competition where Aitken’s Stranraer had beaten Dumbarton at this stage in the previous two seasons. After a summer of transition where no fewer than thirty-five players had either left or joined the club it was a barely recognisable Dumbarton team who took to the pristine pitch at Cappielow. The team even looked different in a new amber Joma away strip that replaced the previous season’s notoriously unlucky black change kit. Two players remained from Murray’s final match in charge - Scott Taggart and Garry Fleming - the rest of the starting lineup were making their competitive debut for the club - and in the case of on loan Celtic duo Jamie Lindsay and Calum Waters their professional debut. Former captain, Andy Graham, who had suffered a preseason injury was left on the bench with his place taken by recently appointed skipper Darren Barr in the most notable change from the previous season. International clearance for former Wycombe striker Steven Craig was still being awaited so midfielder Grant Gallagher would support Garry Fleming in attack. Mark Brown Scott Taggart Darren Barr Gregor Buchanan Calum Waters Kevin Cawley Jon Routledge Jamie Lindsay Willie Gibson Grant Gallagher Garry Fleming The first chance of the game came straight from kick off, and it was the hosts who had it. Stefan McCluskey crossed from the right, but Jon Scullion fired an effort from inside the area harmlessly wide. Gallagher then gave the new look Sons and Aitken the start they would have dreamt of. Gregor Buchanan hit a long diagonal ball that was perfect for ex-’ton man Scott Taggart. He crossed into a dangerous area, and with both Morton centre-backs draw to Garry Fleming, The former Stranraer man ghosted in to power home a free header from six yards. Six minutes into the Aitken era the first goal had arrived. The sizable away support, crammed into the away end, were in good voice as Sons began to take control of the game. Jon Routledge and Jamie Lindsay were controlling the midfield and Morton were struggling to keep possession for any period of time. It therefore came as no surprise when Sons doubled their lead twenty-four minutes later. Jamie Lindsay won possession and quickly played the ball to Willie Gibson, the ever dangerous winger played a quick ball inside to the marauding Garry Fleming who was had all the room in the world in the middle of the park. He spread the ball wide to the overlapping Taggart who found Lindsay in space. As he drew in defenders he played the ball back to Jon Routledge who sent a first time ball towards goal hero Gallagher. He took a touch on the edge of the box before firing a trundling low effort into the bottom corner. Sons were in dreamland, Gallagher had the first brace of his senior career and the build up to the goal had been of real quality. The home crowd were shocked, almost as shocked as the away end who couldn’t believe just how quickly the team had gelled together. It should have been three-nil before half time. Morton ‘keeper Derek Gaston slid out at the feet of defender Lee Kilday and Gallagher. The three players collided and the ball rolled to Kevin Cawley who calmly rolled home his first goal for his new club. Incredibly referee, Craig Charleston, blew for a foul on Gaston. Ultimately it didn’t matter, but it was a decision which could have proved costly. Going in at half-time disappointed to only be two goals up is a problem that most Sons fans would have been content with before kick off. They had dominated the match, controlled the play and made Morton look like a very average outfit. The question was, could they sustain it for the full ninety minutes? It looked increasingly likely that they could as the second period started in a very similar way to the first. Sons on top, winning the battle of the midfields and creating the only real opportunities. A deserved third goal arrived twenty minutes into the second half, and it wasn’t a moment that Gaston or Morton defender Jordan Cairnie will want to see again. A long, high ball from Calum Waters was chased down by Fleming. Gaston came out, Cairnie hesitated and Fleming nipped in to lob the ball over the big ‘keeper and into the net. Sons new number 9 had his first goal of the season, and first goal with the famous number, and it was a very cool finish befitting of the jersey. Aitken was on track to end Sons famous hoodoo in the Petrofact Training Cup, assuming they could hold out for the final twenty-five minutes of the game. Dumbarton began to tire and Morton slowly began to take a foothold in the game, Mark Brown produced an excellent save from a Jon Scullion effort from close range. Morton did get their name on the scoresheet with seventeen minutes left. Conor Pepper’s cross was acrobaticly turned in by Kilday from inside the area. Surely Sons weren’t going to let the curse strike again? Ten minutes later the ‘Ton had a great chance to set up a nervy finish after Charleston gave what looked like a very soft penalty against either Darren Barr or Jamie Lindsay. It was impossible to tell as neither infringements looked like being worthy of any punishment. Peter MacDonald - who seems to score in every game he plays against Dumbarton - netted the spot kick with real confidence. From comfortably cruising the game Sons somehow had to try and hold on for the final ten minutes. But hold on they did, and the elusive first round victory - not seen since 2011 also 3-2 against East Stirlingshire- had been achieved. It was the perfect start Aitken would have dreamed of, and would have been especially sweet for the ex-Stranraer contingent that had joined the club over the summer, with Morton just pipping them to the League One title last season. The task that was now ahead of Aitken was to get the players to replicate the performance achieved over seventy minutes at Cappielow over the full ninety for the rest of the season. Date: 8/08/2015 Dumbarton 2-1 Hibernian Sons’ Scorers: Buchanan (3), Gibson (55) Following the impressive victory over Morton Sons were brought down to earth with an almighty bump in Methill a week later. A lacklustre performance against a fired up East Fife side saw them eventually lose on penalties despite being one spot kick away from victory. Mark Brown’s stunning saves in the shootout, a first goal for Kevin Cawley and an impressive cameo from debutant Steven Craig were about all the positives that could be mustered from a truly disappointing afternoon against the League Two promotion hopefuls. Stevie Aitken responded with three changes to the side who would face Hibs, although one was enforced, out went Darren Barr - who had failed an early fitness test - Calum Waters and Jamie Lindsay. Craig was handed his league debut, Mark Docherty his Sons’ debut and former skipper Andy Graham made his first start under Aitken. Mark Brown Scott Taggart Andy Graham Gregor Buchanan Mark Docherty Kevin Cawley Grant Gallagher Jon Routledge Willie Gibson Garry Fleming Steven Craig Not even the most wildly optimistic Dumbarton fan could have dreamt of the start made by Aitken’s men. Craig did well to draw cheap foul from Hibs captain Liam Fontaine on the right-wing. Willie Gibson played a low ball into the area which deceived the Hibs defence and allowed centre-back Gregor Buchanan to net his first goal for the club. With just under three minutes on the clock Dumbarton had a lead to defend against a club who were tipped by many for the title. Defend it they did however...well for eleven minutes at least. In the blink of an eye the goal advantage had vanished, if Andy Graham had hoped to win back his place in the team it was the kind of mistake he could have done without. Fontaine hit a long ball in the general direction of the Sons’ goal from deep inside his own half. It should have been easy enough for Graham to deal with, but he hesitated, something that is always dangerous against a team with Hibs’ quality in front of goal. Dominique Malonga collected the ball and fired home an unstoppable equaliser. It was the Congolese strikers sixth goal in five games against the Sons, but it was one which could, and should, have been prevented. The goal did not seem to have an effect on Sons’ however, almost straight from kick off Garry Fleming, wearing the captain's armband for the first time, cracked the post with a fierce effort from inside the area. The match was becoming a high tempo, exciting encounter. Much of the media attention pre-match had been focused on Hibernian midfielder Scott Allan’s seemingly imminent switch to league rivals Rangers. His head appeared to be elsewhere during the match however as he was comfortably dealt with by Scott Taggart on the right of the Dumbarton back four. Ten minutes into the second half, Sons re-established their lead, and they did so in real style. Kevin Cawley, who was impressing again with a hard-working and skilful performance, was scythed down by Marvin Bartley twenty-five yards out. It’s likely that very few Sons fans will forget what happened next. Summer signing Willie Gibson had always been an impressive opponent when playing against the club. His feisty and aggressive on pitch persona combined with the sheer amount of natural ability he possesses makes him stand out more than most on the pitch (as does his impressive boot choice to be fair!) Following a frustrating time in England with Celtic Nation and Workington he was brought home by Aitken and the Sons’ gaffer had him playing some of the best football of his career. It was hoped he could continue that form at a higher level under his stewardship at the Rock. He produced his first moment of magic on that very occasion with a wonderful free-kick that sailed beyond Mark Oxley and into the top corner of the net. Hopes of a famous result were re-ignited once again. Maybe, just maybe, Sons could hold the lead for the rest of the game. Whilst the Edinburgh side had seen plenty of the ball, ex-Hibee Mark Brown had, had little to do of note. It was sure to be a long and tense thirty-five minutes plus stoppage time. The game continued to ebb and flow with both teams creating reasonable opening without exerting either ‘keeper. Andy Graham more than redeemed himself for his earlier error with a dominant display alongside Gregor Buchanan, whilst the personal battle of the Scott’s continued to go the way of Taggart. Jon Routledge picked up his obligatory booking for a foul on Allan halting a fast breakaway, whilst the now clearly frustrated Allan was booked for a crude lunge on substitute Jamie Lindsay. The tiring Garry Fleming, who had produced a true captain's performance, was replaced by Gordon Smith for his league debut as Sons attempted to run down the clock. They needn’t have bothered as Hibs only mustered one effort on goal in the final ten minutes of normal time - Martin Boyle’s effort flying wide of Mark Brown’s post. Referee Don Robertson’s final whistle finally arrived after almost five minutes of injury time and was greeted with surely one of the loudest roars the Rock has ever heard. Dumbarton had beaten the Edinburgh giants for the first time in thirty-one years. Or to put it another way for the first time in the lifetime of seven of the starting eleven. Things could not have started any better for Aitken and assistant Stevie Farrell. At the time of writing it remains only one of two defeats suffered by Hibernian all season, and the other was against Rangers at Ibrox. As expected it was also Scott Allan’s final appearance in the green and white before he surprised Scottish football by joining Premiership champions Celtic. The start of the season had heralded two wins and a defeat. A stunning seventy minutes at Cappielow, a torrid one-hundred and twenty at Bayview and an astonishing ninety at the Rock. All eyes were now firmly focused on Ian Murray’s St Mirren side, and a first competitive visit to the (recently named) Paisley 2020 Stadium the following week. Date: 15/08/2015 St Mirren 1-2 Dumbarton Sons Scorers: Gibson (26), Fleming (86, pen) When the fixtures were released there was one match that most Sons fans looked for eagerly. As well as being local, and being the new home of Ian Murray (and Scott Agnew) it would also be Dumbarton’s first visit to New St Mirren Park. After such a promising start to the season expectations were high heading to Paisley. The Sons lineup showed only one changed from the team which had beaten Hibs the week before. Captain Darren Barr was fit again and able to make his league debut in place of Andy Graham: Mark Brown Scott Taggart Gregor Buchanan Darren Barr Mark Docherty Willie Gibson Grant Gallagher Jon Routledge Kevin Cawley Garry Fleming Steven Craig It was the Saints who started the game on top, and they had the ball in the net after only four minutes. Winger Paul McMullan - on loan from Celtic - cut inside from the left-wing before finding Jason Naismith in space, he played a one-two with Alan Gow before the experienced former Clydebank striker chipped a ball through for Calum Gallagher who rolled the ball beyond the static Brown. Sons’ needn’t have worried as Gallagher was correctly flagged offside long before the ball hit the net. Gregor Buchanan the halted Lewis Morgan inside the box with a perfectly timed tackle at the expense of a corner. Ex-Sons Scott Agnew floated a perfect ball onto the head of Sean Kelly who knocked the ball across goal, but Sons cleared before the impending goal line ‘stramash’ occurred. The ball returned to the box moments later and bounced around before being cleared - Dumbarton were under serious pressure. Despite the difficult first twenty minutes Sons finally settled down in the game and began to create chances of their own. Garry Fleming pinched the ball from Jack Baird and drive in on goal before blasting a powerful effort from just outside the area off a St Mirren defender. The best chance of the game then arrived, and it came the way of the home side. Lewis Morgan’s delivery was met by the unchallenged head of Jason Naismith ten yards out. Fortunately for Sons he failed to direct his free header on target and Sons had escaped. As is so often the way in football Sons then went up the pitch and took the lead. Kevin Cawley was rather unceremoniously dragged down by Agnew about thirty yards from goal. There was no competition for the taking of the free-kick after Willie Gibson’s heroics against Hibernian. Once again Gibson stepped up. Once again the ball ended up in the net. It wasn’t quite as perfect as last week’s effort as a huge deflection off the wall took the ball around Mark Ridgers and into the net. But I doubt anybody in a Sons top cared. They had ridden an early storm and now held the lead. Dumbarton - and Gibson in particular - were now full of confidence. The winger produced great skill to take the ball by a couple of Saints defenders before chipping a cross to the onrushing Grant Gallagher, Ridgers however made a routine save from the former Stranraer man's headed effort. As well as Gibson Scott Taggart was also producing another impressive performance at right-full-back, keeping the talented and tricky McMullan quiet and as a result the home side quiet. Grant Gallagher produced an exemplary ‘Cruyff Turn’ around Stuart Carswell and opened up space for a shot, unfortunately however his effort was dragged well wide of the target in what was the final effort of note in the first half. In the second forty-five St Mirren continued to have more efforts on goal, but still hadn’t seriously tested Mark Brown, with Gallagher and Carswell being the main culprits. They equalised just under twenty minutes into the second half, but it wasn’t without controversy. Jason Naismith showed wonderful skill to take the ball by ex-Buddie Mark Docherty, he then turned away from Willie Gibson but got his studs caught in the turf causing what we now know to be serious knee ligament damage. Gibson immediately signalled to the officials to get the medical staff on. Referee John Beaton obliged, but only after inexplicably awarding the home team a free-kick. Naismith had been injured, but it had not been the result of contact with another player. After a length delay the Buddies captain was stretchered off and replaced by Barry Cuddihy. Carswell’s free-kick eventually bobbled it’s way out to Scott Agnew who produced a moment of magic to earn a deserved equaliser. The ball spun out to the former Sons hero who hit the ball with stunning technique directly into the top corner. It was a controlled, off the top of the foot finish, a near enough impossible technique to learn and it got St Mirren deservedly back into the match. The Paisley side continued to be a threat especially from cross balls, Carswell sent a header wide before Jack Baird hit the crossbar. Sons were once again under all sorts of pressure and looked to be tiring. Stevie Aitken responded by replacing Steven Craig, who hadn’t completed a full pre-season, with Jordan Kirkpatrick. Home icon Steven Thompson clattered into Mark Brown as he gathered a cross. It looked a straightforward decision for Beaton, but the former Scotland international was furious, the ball was knocked into the empty net long after the whistle, Saints had now seen two goals correctly ruled out by the officials and must’ve been fearing it wasn’t going to be their day. They were correct. Jon Routledge picked out the tireless Kevin Cawley with an outstanding cross-field ball. He got by substitute Cuddihy who knocked him to the ground inside the penalty area. The first foul Cawley had won in the game had resulted in Gibson’s opener, could the last foul he won result in another goal? The pressure was all on Garry Fleming, the penalty would be taken beside the section of the stand that housed the travelling support, a winner with only four minutes remaining would send them into raptures. It was never in doubt. Fleming calmly powered the ball into the bottom left-hand corner of the goal and the away end erupted. It was as loud a cheer as had been heard from Sons fans in a long while. Surely they could hold on from here? Andy Graham came on for his final league appearance in place of Willie Gibson as Sons attempted to sure things up at the back as well as to waste another few second. Foul winning hero Cawley - who had produced an outstanding, hardworking performance - came off as the game moved towards its fifth minute of injury time for left-back Calum Waters to make his league debut. After six minutes of injury time the final whistle finally came. Sons had recorded two wins out of two against two of the teams tipped to be up at the top of the league come the end of the season. It hadn’t been perfect against St Mirren, but defensively Sons had stood firm and they had taken their chances when they came their way. Six points out of six also saw Sons sitting joint top of the league, ahead of Rangers even though the Glasgow giants had a game in hand. Now the matter of staying there...and scoring a goal from open play. It might have been a dream start, but it quickly came to a shuddering end. Date: 21/11/2015 Dumbarton 3-3 Raith Rovers Sons Scorers: Saunders (81,83), Fleming (pen, 87) It took Sons until November twenty-first to register their next victory, a two-one triumph over ten man Livingston at the Cheaper Insurance Direct Stadium. It was a crucial three points, but the performance was still below par and it took a late winner from Eamonn Brophy - his only goal for the club - to snatch all three points from a Livingston side who had arguably been better since going down to ten men. The victory did little for Sons on the pitch however, and was followed by four straight defeats - a four-two against Hibernian at Easter Road was followed by a five-nil home humiliation against Falkirk. The pressure was really on heading into the banks of the Clyde derby with Morton - but a defensive mix up allowed the ‘Ton to gain revenge for their July Petrofact Cup defeat courtesy of a late Denny Johnstone winner. A trip to Palmerston also ended in defeat, one-nil, with Paul Heffernan grabbing the only goal of the game for the Dumfries side. The defeat to Queen of the South had seen a radically different Sons lineup take to the pitch, Stevie Ross was handed his starting debut, Mark Docherty move into midfield and Calum Waters took the left back berth. The performance was an improvement as well, so Stevie Aitken made only one change for the Rovers game, fit again Steven Saunders came in for Ross - allowing Scott Brown to return to his central midfield berth. Mark Brown Steven Saunders Darren Barr Gregor Buchanan Calum Waters Jamie Lindsay Jon Routledge Scott Brown Mark Docherty Grant Gallagher Eamonn Brophy Nobody in the crowd of seven-hundred and seven could have imagined how the game would pan out. If ever a match summed up why we, as fans, both love and loathe football then this was it. Following the playing of the French national anthem in tribute to those killed in the Paris attacks the night previous, Raith got the game underway shooting towards the Castle Road end. It took them little time to present the nightmare start for Aitken and co. Lewis Toshney’s high ball was misjudged by Gregor Buchanan allowing Mark Stewart - so often a thorn in Dumbarton’s side - to control the ball to the right-side of the penalty area. Darren Barr and ex-Son Mitch Megginson bumped into each other and the ball rolled out to Craig Wighton who fired a ball across goal for James Craigen to tap in at the far post. Four minutes in Sons had shown yet another way of gifting the opposition a goal. It didn’t get any better, Barr misjudged a tackle of Stewart who broke clear, his cross however was somehow turned over by a mixture of Mark Brown, Waters and goalscorer Craigen from six yards. Sons were lacking any form of quality when in possession, every pass was going astray and Eamonn Brophy was looking increasingly isolated upfront on his own. They did have a good opportunity from a free-kick thirty yards out after Ryan McCord floored Grant Gallagher off the ball as he broke towards the area. Brophy’s free-kick however went a high and over the fence. Then Sons were two down, and it’s not a moment that Mark Brown will want to relive. The experienced ‘keeper came thundering off his line in an attempt to punch McCord’s corner cleared. He completely missed leaving the ball to bounce off Jon Routledge and into the net. A number of home fans made their feelings very much heard as the half-time whistle blew moments after. Aitken and the players were subjected to abuse that hadn’t been heard since the Paul Martin era. Whether or not you agree with booing and abusing your own players is a matter of personal opinion. Raith deserved to be leading however, and a long, miserable second-half looked likely for Dumbarton. Aitken realised that the formation and tactics implemented for game weren’t working, and at half-time Garry Fleming and the now injury free Kevin Cawley came on for Waters and Scott Brown. Cawley had only played ten minutes of football since scoring the opener against Livingston in October. His pacey and tricky wing-play and strong work ethic had been badly missed. He almost had an immediate impact with a powerful drive from range that Kevin Cuthbert got down well to save. It hadn’t taken almost forty-six minutes, but Sons had finally mustered their first effort on target. Raith’s Scott Robertson then put the game to bed. He cut inside from the right, sauntered past the static Sons defence and sent the ball into the bottom corner. The booing got louder and the home end began to rapidly empty. It was completely understandable, Sons had produced a performance that was so bad they looked like a League One or Two team playing against far superior opposition. Craig Wighton somehow contrived to miss from five yards as Raith continued to press for another goal. The young Dundee striker firing off the crossbar when it looked considerably easier to score. Then the slightest glimmer of hope arrived on the pitch, with gloves, a base layer and strikingly pink boots Wille Gibson was easy to identify. His arrival in place of Grant Gallagher couldn’t have came soon enough. His first action was to pick out fellow sub Cawley with a raking thirty yard ball. The former Alloa man nodded across goal for the onrushing Jamie Lindsay, but his header went wide. For the first time in the entire game however, Dumbarton looked like a team again. His second action was to provide an assist for Sons first goal. After seeing a shock closed down at the expense of a corner Gibson himself stepped up. His driven delivery was perfectly knocked in by Steven Saunders for his first goal in the white and gold - and his first since November 2013 for Ross County. Celebrations were muted in the extreme. It was all too little too late. Gibson continued to give ‘vers full-back Toshney a torrid time on the left flank. After turning the former Celtic man twice he laid off the ball for Mark Docherty who took a touch and produced a fine left footed deliver. Right onto the head of...Saunders. This football business that had looked so alien to Sons a mere ten minutes previously was starting to look rather simple. Kick the ball off Steven Saunders’ head and it’ll end up in the net. Suddenly the comeback was looking freakishly likely. Having been three down three minutes earlier the deficit was now only at one. Those comebacks only happen in dreams and magazines though, don’t they? Those left inside the home end of the stadium began to vociferously roar the team on, Raith had started to look uneasy and they could sense a point could be gained in the final eight minutes. Garry Fleming got a golden opportunity to snatch it, Gibson cut inside and fired a powerful effort towards goal. Iain Davidson blocked with his hands and Sons had a penalty. It looked harsh, for me Davidson was outside the box, but after some questionable decisions in previous weeks it was a bit of long overdue good luck. The pressure must have been immense, but Fleming remained the calmest man in the stadium and fired the ball beyond Cuthbert - who had guessed correctly - and into the bottom left hand corner. In seven minutes Sons had scored as many goals as they had managed in their last four games combined. Surely the wouldn’t go one better now? Incredibly they very nearly won it injury time. The man of the moment Gibson beat Toshney again and bent a right footed effort off the bottom of Cuthbert’s left-hand post. The scenes if that had gone in would’ve been remarkable. The visitors also could’ve won it however with the last kick - or header to be precise - of the ball. Firstly Jon Daly saw his effort cleared off the line by Jamie Lindsay before Mark Brown punched clear James Craigen’s rebound. It would’ve been a harsh end to an utterly bizarre game. The final whistle blew before the resulting corner could be taken and the small numbers left in the home end were left wondering what they had just witnessed. Gibson had single handedly won Sons a point from a seemingly impossible position. He had dug his team-mates and his manager out of a pretty big hole, and spared another barrage of abuse from heading their way at the final whistle. Despite the sheer jubilation of such a remarkable comeback big issues still stuck out, Dumbarton had been second best for the first eighty minutes of the match, something that couldn’t be afforded every week. They also had a massive run of games coming up against their main rivals at the bottom of the Ladbrokes Championship. It was the wrong time to think about any of that, it’s not very often a team scores three goals in just over six minutes to snatch a draw from the jaws of defeat. Sons fans would saviour the moment and worry about the following week’s Scottish Cup tie with fellow part-timers Alloa when it arrived. Date: 12/12/2015 Dumbarton 1-0 St Mirren Sons’ Scorer: Fleming (50) The incredible comeback against Raith had acted as a catalyst for Sons’ stuttering season. A four-nil defeat to Rangers on a Tuesday evening - with all four goals coming in the second forty-five - was followed by back to back victories over Alloa. Two-nil in monsoon conditions at the Indodrill and then five-nil back at the Rock in the Scottish Cup. Optimism was once again in the air in West Dunbartonshire, or it might have been yet more rain, as Ian Murray’s St Mirren side rocked into town. Murray had endured a torrid time in Paisley, recording a mere two league wins from sixteen games. The pressure was very much on his side heading into the match with the inform Sons with speculation about his future rife. Stevie Aitken made only one change heading into the match - with Steven Saunders replacing Gregor Buchanan at right fullback - that meant that star of the Alloa victory, Donald McCallum, started a game for the first time in the league. Ironically against the man who gave him his Sons’ debut. Mark Brown Steven Saunders Darren Barr Frazer Wright Mark Docherty Grant Gallagher Jon Routledge Jamie Lindsay Kevin Cawley Donald McCallum Garry Fleming Right from the kick off Sons, and McCallum were causing problems. Kevin Cawley drove forward, after a one-two with Garry Fleming the ball found it’s way to the Campbelltown born youngster. A dangerous cross was met by the head of Saints Sean Kelly who diverted it into his own net. The whistle of referee, Nick Walsh, for a nudge by Gallagher came to Kelly’s rescue. Experienced Buddies number one Jamie Langfield then had to look alert to tip over a Darren Barr header from ex-Saint Mark Docherty’s free-kick after a foul on Cawley by Craig Reid. Sons were doing all the attacking and were in complete control of the game, but the visitors were unlucky not to be ahead. Kelly picked out Callum Gallagher with an impressive through ball, Mark Brown however produced an equally as impressive low save to keep his clean sheet run (which was now over two games) intact. If his first save had been good, his second was absolutely tremendous. A poor header back across goal by Cawley landed straight at the feet of Gallagher, his cutback was sent towards goal by Stuart Carswell from ten yards, but Brown flew across to block and then jump on the ball. The trickery and movement of McCallum continued to haunt Andy Webster, the twenty-eight times capped former Scotland international seemed intent on fouling McCallum at every opportunity he had. The referee and his stand-side assistant ignored the protests from those in Sons colours much to the continued frustration of the home fans. Although Dumbarton were still on top the visitors were coming in the game more and more, and looked dangerous on the break. Despite this Darren Barr and Frazer Wright, two players who aren’t blessed with the gift of pace, were dealing admirably with the energetic St Mirren strikeforce of Shankland and Gallagher. Gallagher then missed another guilt-edged chance. Sean Kelly’s wonderful cross picked him out, unmarked, at the far post. With plenty of time and under no pressure he nodded a weak header into the glove of the relieved Brown. It was a let off for Sons as they headed towards half-time. They did have the final say in the first half however, Docherty’s cross was narrowly missed by Garry Fleming where any contact would have resulted in an almost certain goal. A strong first half performance had came to an end, the question now was could Sons sustain it for the full ninety minutes and come away with all three points? The early indications were positive, Gallagher’s ball across goal fell to Cawley, but he couldn’t trouble Langfield with a weak effort from a decent position. Then the moment Ian Murray would have dreaded arrived. Docherty’s long ball was missed by Fleming but Grant Gallagher - overlapping on the right-wing - was picked out perfectly. His initial delivery was half cleared, but his second - after a great piece of skill on the edge of the box - was perfect. Fleming turned one way, then the other before firing an unstoppable left footed effort into the top left hand corner. It was a goal of exquisite quality, and showed how well Fleming had grown into the number nine shirt. It was also his second in as many games against the team who had tried to sign him in the summer. His last was a winner, would this one be as well? The visitors almost drew level immediately, Shankland hit a volleyed effort from over thirty-five yards which Brown just managed to tip over the bar. It would have been an absolutely stunning goal, but the big number one didn’t fancy having his run of clean sheets ended by it. Kelly sent a shot from the resulting corner well, well wide and stupendously high, despite being in a very decent position. It should have been very costly as Dumbarton broke upfield minutes later. Fleming drove forward with real pace and power. His first effort was blocked bravely by a defender but dropped back to his feet. He played the ball towards McCallum, but it was fractionally behind him and, with the goal gaping, he couldn’t collect the ball. St Mirren began to pile on the pressure, firing plenty of balls into dangerous areas, but never forcing Brown into a save of note. A plethora of corners followed, but all were cleared by the defence or collected by Brown. The visiting fans didn’t like what they were seeing, and they very much made their feelings heard. McCallum then did have the ball in the net, but the whistle of Walsh once again ended any celebrations. Good play between Jamie Lindsay and Mark Docherty opened up space for the on-loan Celtic midfielder. He unselfishly squared the ball for McCallum who knocked the ball into the the empty net. The far-side linesman’s flag was up, it looked close at the time, but on the video footage it looks as if McCallum was comfortably onside. The officials got the decision to rule out the Kelly own goal correct, but it looked as if they had got this decision wrong. The final whistle blew moments later, and it proved to be the final whistle for Murray’s time in Paisley. After two wins in sixteen league matches he resigned after receiving all manners of abuse from the away fans on leaving the pitch. Two-hundred and twenty-four days after the two all draw with Raith Rovers at the Rock, with his managerial stock sky-high, it had now reached rock bottom. That, as they say, is football. From a Dumbarton point of view it was an excellent result against a team who were on similar points. The victory handed Sons a six point advantage over the Paisley club, and another clean sheet and solid performance was very pleasing. McCallum had excelled since coming into the team, and he was forming a very decent strikeforce with Fleming, whilst Mark Brown’s three clean sheets in a row was a club best since the Third Division title winning team of 2008/09 - where seven-hundred and forty-seven minutes elapsed without the concession of a goal. Twenty-fifteen was rounded off with a one all draw with Livingston at the Tony Macaroni Arena courtesy of a late Steven Saunders goal and a one-nil defeat to high-flying promotion chasers Falkirk in Grangemouth. Despite the highs I’ve listed here, overall the year hasn’t been a kind one to Dumbarton Football Club. After some rough maths, which I confess is not a strong point, the statistics don’t make pleasant reading. Of the forty-one league and cup matches played Sons have won just ten, five have been drawn and twenty-six lost - one on penalties against East Fife. Giving Sons a win percentage of just twenty-four percent over the calendar year. Over that period Sons have scored forty-one goals - even I can work that out as an average of one a game! Whilst eighty have gone in at the wrong end, averaging 1.96 per game. Seven clean sheets have been recorded - three of them in a row in December! The year has been unforgettable, but in twenty-sixteen more wins are an absolute must if Sons are to continue plying their trade in the second tier of Scottish football. The early signs are promising after a good run of form, lets hope it continues long into the new year.
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April 2020
CategoriesAuthorI'm Fraser, 22, Sons fan who is now living the dream of reporting on Dumbarton for the Lennox Herald. |